Fitness enthusiast who lifts weights and wine glasses

How to clean your yoga mat with a simple DIY mat spray

I’ll be honest: I don’t clean my yoga mat as often as I should. I know you’re supposed to wipe it down after every use, but between limited time in the morning and general laziness (I’ll admit it), I don’t. One morning after I unrolled my mat and saw footprints and paw prints, I realized this mat needed a deep cleaning, and it needed it fast.

Why do I have paw prints on my yoga mat? Because Hank is a yogi pup in training. Between my yoga practices and sweaty cardio circuits and Hank, it’s no surprise my mat needed some TLC.

Before cleaning my yoga mat, I checked the brand’s website for care instructions. How a mat is cleaned often depends on the material. I have a JadeYoga mat, so I followed the brand’s instructions. The method is simple, the mixture is beyond easy (and cheap) to whip up, and it only took me about 15 minutes total.

Due to its simplicity, this mat cleaner should work for most yoga mats. But like I said, check the brand’s website first.

DIY Simple Solution Mat Cleaner

What you need:

Spray bottle

White Vinegar

Water

Instructions: Mix 1 part white vinegar with three parts water in spray bottle.

I’ve also seen a 1:1 white vinegar to water ratio, but Jade suggested 1:3 so who am I to go against the brand’s recommendation?

STEP 1: Spritz simple solution all over mat

STEP 2: Wipe down mat with a towel or sponge

Repeat steps on opposite side.

STEP 3: Rinse with warm water and allow to air dry

Jade suggested doing this step in the shower and hanging the mat to dry over the the rod (clearly I follow directions well). The warm water helps get rid of the faint vinegar smell, but be warned: rinsing a mat that’s taller than you is no easy feat!

If your mat is made of rubber (like mine) make sure not to let it air dry in direct sunlight. Allow at least 12 hours to dry completely.

After I finished hanging I felt accomplished for two reasons. 1. I FINALLY cleaned the mat. 2. Cleaning the said mat turned into a baby arm workout! Between the spraying, the wiping, and the hanging, my arms were burning.

There are plenty of dos and don’ts when it comes to cleaning your yoga mat. A major do: wipe it down after every use (which I will definitely start doing myself!). Between yoga mat wipes and this spray, Hank’s lingering paw prints won’t stand a chance. Perhaps I’ll buy him his own doggie yoga mat…